Of The Heart
by Words are a Bewitching Venom
Summary: Rumpelstiltskin had never been very articulate when it came to matters of the heart. But as the years passed by frozen in a world without magic he found someone else he loved. He vowed this time he would do better, because this time he knew that the strongest magic of all is love.


**Of the Heart**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything (unfortunately****) **

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Rumpelstiltskin had never been very articulate when it came to matters of the heart. He could blame it on his cold upbringing; no one in the Enchanted Forest wanted to grow close to a poor cripple boy, especially if that boy was the village coward's son. He could blame his emotional coldness on the curse that the 'Dark One' turned out to be. Or really any number of things. But he rarely spent time looking into his emotional state, and had no interest in self psychoanalysis.

At any rate as a result of the distance he placed between himself and others there where really very few things Rumpelstiltskin loved, and he could list every single thing. As a child he had loved the stray dog that lived in the woods near his home. As a teenager he had loved the old blind man who had taken him in his home when Rumple had nowhere to go and taught him to spin. As an adult he had loved his wife, at least at first. He had taught her to read, and she had taught him that he did not have to become his father, taught him to fight. As the dark one he loved power and control, especially over those who had taunted him his whole life. As Mr. Gold he loved Belle. But the one person overshadowed it all, even his precious Belle, it was the one person that he had feared that he would never see again.

When Balefire had been born Rumpelstiltskin had been shocked by his size. He couldn't recall ever seeing a smaller more fragile, more lovable person. He made a vow to the dark-haired baby that night while his mother was sleeping. He would protect his son with his life if he must. To Rumpelstiltskin the child was the only thing worth his life. He would face death for this child, or even worse give every last one of the few precious things he held dear.

When the decree came it never even crossed his mind that Bae might have to fight, it was unthinkable. When the soldiers came for the first group of children, he hoped that the war would end quickly. Every child that they came for after that was agony; it was one child closer to them coming for Bae. Rumpelstiltskin wished he was wealthy enough to bribe the king, or at least to move to another kingdom, one where they didn't send children off to war. Too soon the children the soldiers where coming for were Bae's friends, his playmates. He knew it was time to honor that vow he had made the night his precious child was born, he just didn't know how. He wanted his sacrifice to mean something, dying wouldn't save his son from the fight. He only wanted to give the child the best he could. It backfired spectacularly. He wasn't sure if it was because he was a coward, or just a fool. He didn't realize that the curse would make him become a monster that his son would come to hate.

He knew it was a giveaway. Giving the talisman to the Miller child made everyone suspicious. Rumpelstiltskin did not do nice things; things like giving a child a valuable magical item that allowed him to control magic induced dreams. He was surprised that no one tried to look into the situation more. He couldn't help it though. He had known from the very first time he laid eyes on the week old child cradled in Regina's arms. He had the same dark, curly hair, the same nose and clever brown eyes. He had known at that very moment that Henry was his grandson.

Rumple had kept an eye on the child over the years. He made sure that the child wasn't mistreated by anyone. He watched as the baby, just slighter than Bae had been, grew at an exponential rate, at times seeming to grow a foot overnight. He had watched as Regina raised the child. Making sure he was comfortable, happy in his home. He charged less than was sensible for rent, to make sure that Henry had the best. He wanted to give henry the best, however indirectly it may be done. He didn't care if his grandson had no idea, he still wanted him to have the finest clothes, the best toys; he wanted henry to want for nothing.

He had watched as Henry aged, learning to crawl walk and run. He watched as Henry walked home with the book that he had arranged for Marry Margret to give the boy. He watched as a blond woman drove an old yellow car into town bringing Henry home from his latest escapade. Rumple was proud when his grandson convinced his Emma that the curse was real. He liked to think that the stubbornness was Bae showing threw in the boy, but knew that the little princess was just as stubborn.

Rumpelstiltskin did not love freely or easily. But as the years passed by frozen in a world without magic he found someone else he loved. He vowed this time he would do better, because this time he knew that the strongest magic of all is love.

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